Bollinger buys Ayala

Champagne Bollinger announced yesterday that it has just purchased smaller Champagne house Ayala.

The family-owned holding company, La Société Jacques Bollinger, says it bought Ayala in order to complete its top tier of high quality Champagnes which already includes one of the rarest and most expensive Champagnes in the world, the Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Francaises.

Apart from Bollinger, the holding company already owns other prestigious labels including Champagne Montvillers and Chanson Père et Fils in Burgundy as well distributers BLD in France and Mentzendorff in the UK.

Ayala, a smaller but well respected house, located alongside Bollinger in the village of Ay in the heart of Champagne, was bought for an undisclosed amount from La Compagnie Financière Frey.

Frey acquired Ayala in 2000, and also owns shares in Champagne Billecart-Salmon, and Chateau La Lagune in the Haut Medoc.